Sioux Falls Development Foundation names new leader

The president and CEO of a Wisconsin chamber of commerce will be the next leader of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.

Bob Mundt leads the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce in Appleton, a combined chamber and economic development organization that serves four cities and a number of smaller communities in a three-county area about 30 miles south of Green Bay. Before his work with Fox Cities, Mundt spent 25 years leading chamber and economic development efforts in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

“I’m excited to be coming back to where I grew up,” Mundt said. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the organization that has done so much to help the Sioux Falls region grow. The development foundation has a solid track record of success — I want to build on that record and help Sioux Falls continue its growth and national accolades.”

He will start his new role in mid-July and will replace Slater Barr, who left in November 2017.

“With over 25 years of economic development experience, Bob Mundt has the energy, the background and the expertise to continue the development foundation’s mission to grow our economy,” chairman Bob Thimjon said. “He understands the challenges of building our workforce, helping existing businesses expand and recruiting new companies to our region. His leadership will serve our organization and community well in the years ahead.”

Thimjon said the final selection process included the top two candidates each spending a day in Sioux Falls, meeting with the selection committee and staff, as well as others.

“The development foundation carefully considered our goals for the future to better evaluate the qualities we need in a new leader,” Thimjon said. “With the help of Waverly Partners, we were able to recruit a strong field of candidates, all of them top-caliber people. Bob emerged as the best fit for our organization.”

Mundt is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, the Institute for Organizational Management, the Center for Creative Leadership and Bellevue University in Omaha. Mundt is a Certified Economic Developer and a Certified Chamber Executive. His economic development experience includes extensive work in business attraction, retention and expansion, talent attraction and development, small business/entrepreneurial growth and land and infrastructure development.